My Escape
by VegetaXxXInuyasha
Summary: Belle left. Fleeing from her former life, town, and egotistical, abusive fiancée, Gaston. Belle ends up in a small town called Storybrooke, where she decides to settle down and begin a new, better life. She makes new friends and even catches the eye of a new man. But when her past life begins to catch up with her who will she turn to for help? ((RumBelle)) ((M for later chapters))
1. Chapter One - Diner

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Once Upon A Time**

**Enjoy! :)**

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"You new in town?" the waitress asked as she placed a menu in front of Belle.

"Yes actually. I just finished unpacking my last box today," Belle said proudly. Granted it hadn't been but a few boxes.

"Oh really?" she questioned, tapping a pen on her receipt ticket, obviously intrigued.

"Yeah, it's sort of a long story." And one she didn't want to delve into at the moment. Belle gave the waitress a half-smile and looked down at her menu.

"I . . . I didn't mean to-" the waitress stumbled on her words.

"Its okay." Belle smiled up at the scantily clad waitress. She was dressed in a small buttoned white shirt that was tied in a knot above her belly button and her red short-shorts looked like they had been painted on. Belle quietly wondered if she had ventured into a secret brothel disguised as a small town diner. There were three other people in the restaurant. One man was eating alone at the counter sipping on a beer and downing a delicious looking cheeseburger. He looked like the typical clientele for a brothel; wearing a knit cap, heavy winter coat and some khaki denim jeans. Maybe you ate here then received your happy ending in the back. The other two, Belle assumed, to be mother and son. They weren't talking much and clearly avoiding eye contact with each other. The mother, wearing a sharp business suit, and the boy, downed in jeans, wool coat, and oversized book bag, were sharing a cheesecake that looked like it hadn't been touched by either one. Seeing the two in here dismissed Belle's claim about the disguised diner.

"It's just we don't get a lot of people who actually want to move to _Storybrooke_." She said the word _Storybrooke _like it was a disease or some sort of plague.

"I like it so far." And it was true. Belle had only been here for a total of two days and so far she had enjoyed what little she had seen of the town and its people.

"I'm Ruby," the waitress said extending her hand. Her red lips parting for a smile.

"Belle." Shaking the waitress's hand, Belle wanted to scold herself for judging her so soon. When her mother had been alive she had always taught Belle to always try to see the good in people. Since her passing Belle had always tried to live her life the way her mother did. She had always been so kind and selfless.

"So, what can I get you Belle?" Ruby asked, twitching side to side.

"What do you recommend?" Belle questioned as she skimmed over the menu.

Ruby explained some of Granny's specialties. There was Granny's homemade lasagna, her famous broiled salmon, and many more things that piqued Belle's interest. After a while of deciding she finally ordered a simple cheeseburger with fries. Little did she know her mind had been made once her eyes landed on the burger she saw the man eating earlier. After a small wait, her food was delivered. The smell of the burger made her mouth water instantly. Taking her first bite Belle knew she would have to come back here and try the rest of the menu. The food was wonderful. So much better than the chain restaurants that resided in her old home town. Belle was hungrier than she realized and ate the food quickly. After cleaning her plate Ruby sat down across from her.

"I take it you liked it, huh?" she chuckled.

"It was wonderful. Thank you so much."

"Aww, its nothing," Ruby said, waving her hand in front of her. "Granny's a great cook." Belle nodded, agreeing with her.

"Yes she is," Belle said leaning back against the booth.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to exchange numbers; since you're new to town and everything. If not, it's totally cool," Ruby said, placing her hands on the table. That had been the best idea Belle had heard all day.

"Of course!" Belle said eagerly. She quickly dug in her purse and pulled out her phone. Clicking on the icon it pulled up her not-so-full contact list. A total of two contacts stared back at Belle: her new phone number and Mr. Gold, her landlord. She clicked on 'add contact' and handed Ruby the phone. Once finished typing her information she handed it back to Belle.

"Maybe one night we can hang out if you would like."

"I'd love too," Belle said a little too quickly.

"I could show you the town," Ruby laughed.

The two had a short conversation and after Belle was introduced to Ruby's actual grandmother, Granny, she paid for her dinner and exited the diner. Stepping out onto the sidewalk the darkness of night swallowed her and Belle tightened her jacket around her. A cool breeze blew straight through her black leggings and knit coat sending chills up and down her entire body. She was going to have to stock up on some winter attire. Belle was from the south and her definition of winter was way different than Maine's definition of winter. She walked quickly down the sidewalk, not wanting to be in the cold any longer than she'd have to.

As she rounded the corner coming up on her apartment building Belle was greeted with a man and woman standing outside in deep conversation. As Belle approached the two they turned to look at her.

"You must be Belle," said the woman.

"Yes. How did you know?" Belle questioned, curious; her eyebrows rising in suspicion.

"Word travels fast in this town," she said with a bright white smile.

"I can see that," Belle said pursing her lips together.

"Anyways, I'm Mary-Margaret and this is my boyfriend, David."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said smiling just as bright.

"Y'all too." The couple picked up on Belle's southern drawl and their smiles became even brighter.

"So did you move into the apartment on the third floor?" Mary-Margaret asked, tilting her head to the side.

Belle nodded. "Yeah. That's the one."

"I live on the second floor. We would love to have you over for dinner one evening," she touched Belle's arm lightly. "If you would like?"

"Oh I wouldn't want to impose," Belle said politely. What was up with this town? These people didn't even know her and here they were inviting a complete stranger into their home for dinner. Not that Belle minded it; she was awestruck at the hospitality.

"Nonsense, we would love to have you over one night." Mary-Margret linked arms with David and gave his arm a slight tug so he could share his input.

"Oh yeah, we'd love for you to come," he said coming out of his daze.

"Well, I'll think about it," Belle said hugging herself, smiling back at the two.

"That's all we ask," Mary-Margaret stated, her bright, friendly smile never leaving her face.

The longer Belle stood outside the colder she became. She needed to get inside. "I'll see you two later. Have a good night."

"You too," they both said in unison. Belle entered the building and the warmth of the air thawed her body. Once her body's limbs had returned to their flexible selves she made her way up the stairs. So far Belle had met Ruby, Granny, Mary-Margaret, David, and Mr. Gold. Every one of them had been very nice and friendly to her, with the exception of Mr. Gold. To Belle's understanding he practically owned the entire town and was a very powerful man in the city of Storybrooke so he had a reason to be to the point and straight down to business when she had met him asking about an apartment to rent. Belle hoped the rest of the towns people she met in the future were just as nice as the few she already knew.

As Belle was unlocking the door to her flat her cell phone started ringing. Her heart dropped at the sound of it. No one knew her new phone number except her landlord and that waitress, Ruby. She prayed silently that it was one of them. Shutting the door behind her she dug her phone out of her purse and looked at the screen.

**Restricted**

Her eyes bulged as her heart started racing.

_It couldn't possibly be him, could it?_ Belle questioned, trying to reason with herself. She had broken and tossed her old phone the day she fled. Belle purchased this new cell phone less than a week ago and had received a new number after she activated it.

She stared down at the screen in horror as it continued to ring. Before the called had ended Belle pressed down the power button and switched off her phone.

_Maybe it was Mr. Gold or Ruby calling with a new number? _Belle thought. But deep down she knew it wasn't either of them. Her conscience knew who was on the other end of that call and it was the reason she had fled from home. She hadn't gone this far for no reason. Belle had moved to Storybrooke for one purpose and one purpose only: To start over.

And that was exactly what she was going to do.

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**Thanks for reading!  
Please review to tell me what you thought!**

**Until next time!**

**-Nicole**


	2. Chapter Two - Leave

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Once Upon A Time**

**Enjoy! :)**

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Sleeping peacefully on the couch she had managed to find at a local thrift store in Storybrooke, Belle's slumber was interrupted by a knock at the door. After a few loud bangs she was pulled from her dream like state completely; and was able to determine that the knocks were coming from the other side of her door and not from an ogre's footstep as he was chasing after her. Groaning, Belle sat up and looked over at the clock. It was 6:17 in the morning; the sun not even making its presence known in her small apartment. The knocking became louder and more persistent.

"I'm coming," Belled growled, yelling towards the door. Yawning, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood. Her feet felt like they were made of bricks as she slowly made her way to the door. She flipped on the light switch and stood on her tiptoes to look through the peephole. Looking through, she saw a woman dressed in all black. It was the woman who had been at the diner the night before; the one sitting with the child. Curious, Belle opened the door.

"Hello, Belle? Belle French?" the woman asked as soon as she laid eyes on Belle.

"Y-yes?" she stammered, growing a little nervous.

"My name's Regina. Regina Mills. I'm the mayor of Storybrooke." Regina extended her well-manicured hand.

Belle's eyebrows furrowed. _The mayor? What was she doing here? _Noticing her hand Belle took it and offered a smile.

"Is everything okay?" Something had to be wrong. Was she hurt? Did she need help? That was the only reason Belle could come up with for someone, especially the mayor, to be visiting this early in the morning.

"Mind if I come in?" she asked, giving Belle's hand a tight squeeze before letting go.

"Uh, sure," Belle answered before her head was able to give her mouth pause.

"Thank you," she said slyly as she slowly slipped passed Belle. Regina was a well-dressed woman. She had on some expensive looking high heels, a black dress that stopped right above her knee, and a dark gray wool jacket. The black onyx necklace that was visible complemented her diamond earrings that Belle was willing to bet were real. She suddenly felt ashamed of herself. Dressed in some old worn out boxers and her favorite old Phil Collins t-shirt, which had seen its better days a few years ago, Belle walked quickly into her bathroom and pulled on a robe, tying it tightly around her. Regina was eyeing the apartment as she slowly walked around. She ran her hand over a few of Belle's items, which was making her uncomfortable. Regina finally stopped in front of a picture. It was of Belle's mother. It was the only thing she had left of her; therefore Belle's most treasured item. Regina eyed it carefully before picking it up.

"Can I help you with something?" Belle called out, hoping to get Regina's attention back to why she was here in the first place.

"Is this your mother?" she asked, pointing to the young woman in the photograph.

"Yes, it is," Belle said quickly as she grabbed the picture from her and placed it back on the coffee table sitting in front of the couch.

"She's very pretty," Regina said, her voice icy. This woman was beginning to make Belle feel real uneasy.

"T-thank you, now um," Belle struggled to get her thoughts together. "What are you doing here again?" She crossed her arms, eyeing the woman next to her very carefully.

"Right let's get down to business. You talked to Mr. Gold about this apartment on . . . Tuesday. Am I right?" Regina questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," answered Belle, cautiously.

"And when you filled out all the necessary paperwork there should have been an area on the documents that said proof of income." She trudged passed Belle, her shoulder brushing up against hers, knocking Belle slightly off balance. _What was this womans deal?_ "Now, correct me if I'm wrong but you do not have a job; basically meaning you do not have any proof of income as of right now. Is that correct, Ms. French?"

"Yes, but I paid Mr. Gold the first months' rent already." Before Belle fled her old home town she had drained both her saving and checking accounts in case _he_ would be watching where she used her debit card. So needless to say she had enough money to last her until she found a job.

"Well, as the mayor of this town anyone who rents a building has to have a steady paying job. And since you don't I would consider you breaking a contract law." She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes; it was cunning.

"What are you saying?" Belle asked, confused; her heart heavy with worry. Was she kicking her out? What did she mean by all of this? Belle went silent as Regina turned towards her again.

"It means I want you out. You need to pack up your belongings," she looked around the apartment noting the couch Belle used as a bed. Regina turned up her nose. ". . . which isn't much. And you need to head back to wherever it is you came from."

Belle's heart dropped. She had finally settled in and unpacked yesterday! How could this woman make her leave now? It wasn't like she had broken into this apartment and was stowing away. She had legally paid for this apartment. It was hers, technically speaking.

Regina walked back to the door and turned around; the sly smile reappeared on her face.

"I'll give you by tomorrow night. Have a good day Miss. French." And with that she shut the door behind her. Leaving Belle all alone; confused and shocked.

**xXx**

As she rounded the corner the green painted building came into view. "_Mr. Gold's Pawnbroker & Antiques Dealer_" Belle read on the sign hanging from the roof. She quickened her pace, crossing the road.

"Mr. Gold," Belle called out as she opened the door to his shop. "Hello?" She looked around the empty store. He was nowhere to be seen. Thinking back to the news the twisted woman had told her made a sickening feeling begin to settle in the pit of her stomach. If she couldn't get a hold of Mr. Gold what was she going to do? Deep down Belle already knew that answer and she pushed the thought out of her mind. She had thought she had found a great place to live but it looked like it was all going to Hell in a hand basket real quick.

"Mr. Gold," she called out again. "I really need to speak with you." Belle sighed as she leaned up against the glass counter.

_Maybe he's ignoring me, _Belle thought as she crossed her arms. He was bound to have heard her.

"DO IT!" a woman's voice called out loudly from the back. Belle turned and looked at the covered entrance-way to the back of the store. Someone was back there.

"Hello," she called out again as she rounded the long glass counter. Pulling back the cloth that hung over the entry, Belle was greeted with the one person she wasn't in the mood to see: Regina. When Belle gasped Regina locked eyes with her. She looked to have been in a deep conversation with Mr. Gold. Her face red with anger; her smile turned into a frown.

"Excuse me," Belle said, as she retreated from the entrance way. What could she possibly be telling him? Belle's mind wondered to the worse. She knew this was it. She would have to pack up and move to another town. But where would she go? She had already spent a good deal of her money on the new apartment, furniture, and appliances. Belle's hands started shaking with worry. She leaned against the counter trying to calm her nerves.

"Sorry about that," Mr. Gold said as he came from the backroom. Belle turned around quickly, attempting to put a smile on her face.

"No I-I'm sorry. It's just I really needed to talk to you but . . ." She gripped the sides of the glass counter, staring down at the items inside. Belle was close to losing it.

"But . . . what?" He stopped in front of her on the other side of the counter. Belle swallowed the lump in her throat and looked up at him; his brown eyes piercing her blue ones.

"It seems she's already spoken to you."

"Oh yes. Indeed she has." His matter-of-fact tone didn't settle right with Belle. She sighed and hung her head again.

"Right," she huffed. Well, it had been nice while it lasted. Her heart crumbled a bit when she thought about the few people she had met. Would she tell them bye? Or would she just up and leave? It was probably easier if she just packed up her things and left. Just like last time. Belle tried to conceal her tears from the man standing in front of her. How embarrassing; crying in front of a complete stranger.

"If you must know," Mr. Gold started. "I told her you already had a job."

"What?" Belle looked quickly up at him; wiping stray tears away. She must have heard him wrong.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I remember telling you about the town library that needed fixing up." A crooked smile cut across Mr. Gold's face as Belle's mouth dropped open slightly.

"I'm sorry?" She didn't recall this conversation at all. What did he mean by this?

"Oh, come on dearie. Don't tell me you've already forgotten about our talk we had the other day," he chuckled.

"I . . . I." Belle was at a loss for words. Seeing this, Mr. Gold turned around and opened a large wooden cabinet behind him. She eyed him closely, questioning his motives. Why had he told Regina, the mayor of Storybrooke, that she had a job already? Yes, this man was a powerful figure in the town but he couldn't possibly hold reign over the mayor, could he?

"Here we go." Turning back around towards Belle he dangles a rather large key from his finger. Grabbing his cane, Mr. Gold rounded the counter and walked passed Belle towards the front door of his shop. Stopping, he looked back over his shoulder. "I think you might want to follow me."

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**Thanks for reading.  
****Please review to let me know what you thought!**

**Until next time!**

**-Nicole**


	3. Chapter 3 - News

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Once Upon A Time**

**Enjoy! :)**

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The sun was beginning to set on the small town of Storybrooke when Belle finally excited the library. Locking the doors behind her the cooling wind whipped around her body sending shivers down Belle's spine. She had no idea that she had spent the entire day inside the old dusty place. The excitement of it all had been overwhelming and time had just flown by. Belle had to tell someone the news so she made her way across the street towards Granny's Diner. Belle breathed a sigh of relief when the warmth engulfed her as she stepped inside the restaurant.

"Hello hun," Granny called out from behind the counter, her graying bun bouncing as she served a customer.

"Hi Granny," Belle waved as she sat down at the counter, placing her coat on the back of the barstool.

"What'll ya have?" she questioned, walking over towards Belle, leaning on the bar with a smile on her face.

"Oh nothing really, I just wanted to talk to Ruby but I see she's busy at the moment," Belle said as she glanced over at Ruby tending to a booth full of customers.

"Well, surely you would like something on the menu while you wait," she inquired, staring at Belle over her oval shaped glasses.

"I'm really not that hungry," she confessed, shrugging, giving Granny a half smile.

"Oh c'mon. A girl like you gotta' eat. You're nothing but skin and bones; just like Ruby!" she stated.

"I heard that," Ruby said turning slightly towards her grandmother. Belle chuckled. Granny reminded Belle of her own grandma, sweet, down to earth, and straight to the point. She liked that about her.

"Here you go." Granny handed Belle the menu.

"Hmmmm," she pursed her lips together as she looked over the menu deciding against telling Granny she really wasn't hungry again. Belle was willing to bet that this woman was just as feisty as her own grandma and she wasn't about to defy her.

"Here," Granny spoke, taking the menu out from under Belle's gaze. "How about I surprise you." She winked before retreating towards the kitchen.

The small diner was packed tonight. More packed than it had been when Belle had visited it the first time; granted it had been almost near closing time. Almost every seat was taken, with the exception of a few tables in the middle of the restaurant. It was definitely a busy night for Ruby. Belle watched as she would quickly take orders, bring their food, and refill people's drinks; all in her red high heels. She worked very fast and kept a smile on her face the entire time. After watching Ruby her eyes roamed over the patrons. Many of the faces she had never seen before and a few she did recognize even though she didn't know their names. Some would give her a curious glance. She was still the new girl in town and the stares were to be expected.

"Here you go sweetie."

Belle turned to see Granny placing a plate in front of her. Her mouth dropped.

"It's a brownie sundae. My treat," she winked at Belle.

"Oh, I can't do that. Let me pay," Belle said. Feeling guilty she reached for her pocketbook.

"You just hush," Granny said cutting off Belle. "It's on the house. Just don't go telling other people that," She chuckled cutting her eyes around the room.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you so much," Belle smiled staring down at the massive dessert in front of her. The plate was huge and the brownie took over most of it. The vanilla ice cream on top was beginning to melt as was the whipped cream that was leaning over.

"Don't mention it." Granny squeezed Belle's hand before she trotted off to help another customer. Taking the first bite of the dessert her taste buds exploded. This was the second thing she had eaten from the diner and it wasn't disappointing. The warmth of the brownie was the best part; mixing with the cold ice cream made it heavenly.

After a good portion of the dessert was gone Ruby rounded the counter, huffing.

"These people are trying to kill me tonight," she smiled, resting on the bar in front of Belle.

"Don't you have another waitress?" she questioned in between bites.

"She was a no show tonight. As usual!" Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Oh I'm sorry," Belle apologized, feeling sorry for her.

"Eh," she shrugged. "Happens a lot but this isn't anything I can't handle."

"I can tell," Belle said cutting a piece of the brownie and popping it in her mouth.

Ruby looked over Belle's shoulder and nodded; apparently talking to a customer. "Excuse me. Table two needs refills," she said, slight irritation under her breath.

After Ruby made her rounds with the patrons again Belle had finally finished the brownie sundae. Pushing the plate away she leaned back in the chair, stuffed. She couldn't believe she had managed to eat the whole dessert. But it was good and she had no regrets. She wasn't watching her figure so who cared if she ate dessert before dinner.

"So, what's new?" Ruby asked as she made her way back around the counter again.

"I got a job," Belle said quickly with a bright smile on her face. She was trying to contain the excitement she was feeling but it was hard. Having a job meant the start of a new beginning for her. It was her whole reason she left in the first place; to start over and have a new life. And now that she had a job it was real. This was her life now and she was already falling in love with it.

"No way? Where at?" Ruby said as her famous bright red smile filled up her face.

"The library!" Belle squealed, smiling equally as wide.

"The library? You mean the one under the clock tower?" she questioned her smile ebbing a little.

"Uh-huh," Belle nodded.

"The one that's boarded up?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"Yup. That's the one. I'm fixing it up," she said happily.

"H . . . how did that happen?" Ruby asked, crossing her arms. "I know Mr. Gold closed it up after . . ." She looked down at Belle and bit her lip.

"After what?" Belle questioned fast; the smile fading from her face. What was she about to tell her? She knew it wasn't good by how fast Ruby's facial features changed. "Tell me," she pleaded.

"Well," Ruby started. "His wife died."

Belle's eyes narrowed. "Okay."

"There! She died _in_ the library. But it was years ago. I was only like 10 when it happened so I don't remember all the details."

"She died as in . . ." Belle could tell there was more to her story.

"She was murdered."

"Oh," Belle leaned back against the seat, shocked. This was news to her. Why hadn't Mr. Gold said anything to her about it?

"No one was arrested for it and the case eventually went cold," Ruby shrugged. "He closed it up right after, never stepping foot in it again. Or so I'm told. People say that he killed her with his bare hands. But I'm not really sure how true that is either."

"Wow." Belle was stunned and at a loss for words. How come he had given Belle the key? His wife had been murdered by someone inside the library where she was now employed. Why after all these years entrust the key to someone he didn't even know? What was so special about her that he would give her the chance to reopen it again?

"So, what did he say?" Ruby asked interrupting Belle's inner talk with herself. She shook her head ridding herself of the thoughts surrounding the murdered woman. It happened years ago. It wasn't like the place would be haunted or anyone would be venturing in to kill her while she worked there. And Mr. Gold was not in jail so therefore it meant he was innocent. Right?

"Belllllle," Ruby chuckled tapping her on the shoulder. "What did he say?"

Belle began from the beginning; when Regina had woken her up at six in the morning. Belle told Ruby about how Regina knew what was in her lease and how she knew that Belle didn't have job.

Ruby grimaced. "I can't stand her. Regina's a nosy little bitch, if you ask me."

"Hey now," Granny said sternly as she walked by.

"All I'm saying is what everyone in this town thinks," Ruby said defensively with her hands up in the air.

"Amen," a guy on the other end of the bar yelled, holding up his half empty glass of beer in cheers.

Belle continued telling Ruby the events of the morning and how Regina was in Mr. Gold's Pawnshop right after she had left her apartment.

"Of course she would have been there," she scowled, putting her hands on her hips.

Belle told her about how Mr. Gold had told Regina that she did have a job. And how she had followed him to the center of town, unknowing where he was taking her. He opened the doors to the boarded up building and showed her around introducing her to the old, dust covered library. She told Ruby how it had rows among rows of books, a children's play area, and a few ancient computers that more than likely ran on Windows 98. Mr. Gold had proposed a deal with Belle. Stating that if she got the library up and running again he would take out her months' rent in her paycheck she received from the library and even cut the rent in half. Belle was more than willing to make the deal with him.

"So he gave you the keys? Just like that?" Ruby's eyes were wide.

"Yeah. He even said he was going to update the computers in there too."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Ruby laughed. "We are talking about Mr. Gold right?"

Belle nodded. "Yes."

"Guy with a cane? Walks with a limp?"

"Yes." What was so hard for her to believe?

"That's just weird Belle. I don't know. . . Lets just say Mr. Gold isn't one who just does something like that for people."

Belle propped her elbows on the counter. "Then why would he do that for me?" She stared into Ruby's eyes for answers.

"Beats me, girl," she shrugged. "Maybe he likes you," she teased poking Belle on the shoulder twice.

"Oh hush. I don't even know him."

Ruby laughed. "Well still, congrats on the job!"

"Thanks," Belle said, the bright smile returning to her face.

"So whatcha' doing tomorrow night?"

"Probably nothing just sitting at home, I guess," Belle shrugged.

"Wanna go out? We can go to The Rabbit Hole!" she asked smiling.

"Sure! That sounds like fun!" Belle answered quickly. Her smile stretched across her face making her cheeks hurt. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this excited just to hang out with someone.

"Awesome! Be at your place at eight?"

"Sounds good to me," Bell giggled.

"You live above Mary-Margaret right?" Ruby questioned racking her brain.

"I do," Belle nodded then yawned. "I guess I need to be heading home now."

"Alrighty, see you at eight tomorrow!" Ruby said waving as Belle stood to gather her coat.

"See ya!" Belle had a big smile on her face the entire walk home. It amazed Belle how the day had gone from awful to awesome within such a small amount of time. Belle hadn't been in town for more than a week yet and she couldn't wait for more exciting things to come.

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**Thanks for reading!  
Please review to let me know what you thought about this chapter!**

**I know this didn't have any RumBelle parts but all good things come to those who wait!  
Gotta build up to it. :)  
Just a little FYI: I have an update section on my profile and I update it regularly with the progress i'm making with the chapters. So feel free to check it out.**

**Thanks again!  
Until next time!**

**-Nicole**


	4. Chapter Four - Bar

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Once Upon A Time**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Belle was dressed and ready by seven that evening. She had been looking forward to her night out with Ruby all day.

Belle had started her day early; setting her alarm at six in the morning so she could get an early start on the cleaning in the library. Mr. Gold had requested the library be up and running by mid-week but to Belle it didn't look promising. As Belle delved deeper into the restoration she uncovered many issues. The majority of the books were out of order, many were damaged beyond repair, and the shelves were old and rickety, having seen their better days years ago, and much more. She began keeping track of every small detail that needed to be addressed in a small notebook and so far Belle was on the fourth page, front and back. She had spent the majority of the day removing books from the shelves, cleaning them, and 'trying' to sort them. After that had become tiresome she moved on to checking the small office rooms that held the public computers. One side room had three and another had two. All of the computers were dormant except one. Belle double checked to see if each were plugged in correctly and they were so either there was an electrical problem or the computers were just so old that they had eventually died over time. After making a note in her notebook about it she returned to the only computer that came to life and Belle's suspicion had been right, the big Windows 98 screen popped up on dusty monitor. She quickly wrote another small note reminding herself to bring the computer situation up to Mr. Gold the next time she seen him. When the library had been open it had been ran off a card catalogue system. There was no computer behind the front desk, only a very large filing system that held all the information about each book in the library. Belle couldn't quite remember how to use it, it had been so long. She hoped Mr. Gold would be able to help her in this area. There was no way she could run the library if they still used the ancient card catalogues system.

As Belle flipped over her notes she sighed and leaned back against the couch. It had already been a lot of work and there was even more ahead of her but Belle was a determined individual and she was willing to do it. She was just so grateful for Mr. Gold even considering her for the job. Setting her notebook down on the coffee table she wondered if he knew how bad of shape the library was actually in and hoped he would be able and willing to help her get it up and running again.

Picking up her phone she checked the time. It was only fifteen after seven. She kicked herself for coming home so early. She knew she should have stayed a little bit longer down at the library. It had only taken Belle thirty minutes to shower and get completely dressed and ready; hair and make-up too. She stared up at the ceiling, bored. She wasn't exactly sure when her first paycheck would be coming so Belle had to save her money. She knew her first investment would have to be either a TV or a laptop. She needed something to keep her occupied while she was at home. Belle raised her head up and stared over at the four piles of books resting on the floor against the wall. She could read to pass the time but Belle had already been surrounded by enough books today to last a lifetime. She looked around her desolate apartment. Belle needed more furniture. She had been able to snag a pleather couch and a coffee table at the local thrift store downtown. The couch did have a faint musty smell to it and the coffee table had a few nicks in the golden wood but they were in pretty good shape, considering. Belle had also been able to buy a small table and two chairs at a garage sale she had passed by on her second day in town. It fit nicely against the wall next to the kitchen counter and didn't take up much space, which is what she needed in the small studio apartment. She had room behind the couch for a bed but she was going to wait until her first check came in to purchase one. The couch was comfy and good enough for now. Belle did have her old Jeep Grand Cherokee that was parked behind the small apartment building that she could sell, since everything in Storybrooke was within walking distance, but she just couldn't let go of her old car.

Getting tired of sitting she stood and headed into the bathroom. Staring at herself in the mirror, Belle ran a hand through her hair and rechecked her make-up. She had decided to no do anything with her hair. It was parted to the side and fell in ringlets around her face, which was the way she liked it. As she reapplied some lip gloss she decided against doing anything else with her hair. For once it wasn't wiry or real poofy and for that she was thankful so she left it alone. After applying another layer of foundation and mascara Belle heard her phone ring in the other room. Setting her make-up bag back under the sink she exited the bathroom and picked up her phone.

**Here :)**

The time was seven thirty. Ruby was early but Belle didn't mind. Before she sat her phone back down on the coffee table there was a knock at the door.

"Hello, hello," Ruby said happily as Belle opened the door, her bright red smile greeting Belle.

"Hi," she answered, smiling equally as bright. Belle stepped to the side, inviting Ruby in.

"OH MY GOSH!" Ruby exclaimed as she walked into the small apartment.

"What?" Belle chuckled, shutting the door. She watched as her friend turned circles staring at every inch of the empty room.

"This place is so cute! I love it!" she said, her bright smile never leaving her face.

"T-thank you," Belle stammered. "I do need to by some more furniture to make it actually look like someone lives here."

"Oh, you'll get some eventually," she said taking a seat on the couch, crossing her legs. Ruby was garbed in a tight red dress and black pumps. Her hair teased up on her head. It was messy but beautiful. Belle looked down at her outfit. She felt way under dressed. She was wearing a dark wash skinny jean with a backless sequined blue tank top and some flats.

"Uh, should I change?" she asked Ruby, picking at her top.

"Oh no! You look fine. I _love_ that top by the way." She winked at Belle and sat down the magazine she had been flipping through. "We might need to get there a little early so we can get a seat. It's usually packed on a Saturday night."

"Alright," Belle said as excitement began to run through her veins. Ruby stood and put on her leather coat as Belle slid into her small jean jacket.

"Yay! This is going to be fun." Ruby locked arms with Belle and the two made their way down the stairs.

* * *

"Two margaritas please," Ruby ordered, speaking loudly over the blaring music, once they reached the bar.

"Yes ma'am," The bartender answered. As he began making their drinks Ruby looked over at Belle who was looking around the bar. The Rabbit hole was nothing like Belle had expected a local small town bar to be. The huge bar ran across the right hand side of the building and a few pool tables separated them from the dance floor that was in the middle of the room.

"Welcome to The Rabbit Hole," Ruby said, leaning down towards Belle.

"This was nothing like I expected," Belle exclaimed as she watched people dance in the center of the room to fairly up to date music.

"What were you expecting? Truckers, overweight men, and country music?" she asked, giggling the whole time.

Belle blushed slightly and chuckled herself. "Well, yeah . . . I did." In fact this place was the total opposite. Almost everyone in the bar was around her age.

"Nah, not here. Not on a Saturday night." Ruby rested her back against the bar and bobbed her head to the music. While they were waiting on their drinks some men came over giving Ruby a hug and chatted with her a bit. Ruby introduced Belle to them and they all gave her a friendly smile.

"Here you go ladies," the bartender said as he slid the drinks towards the women.

"Thanks love," Ruby said grabbing her drink.

"Anytime. You want me to start you a tab, Red?" he questioned as he wiped the counter with a cloth.

"Sure," she said taking a sip of her drink. "Put both of these on it."

"Oh I can pay for mine," Belle interjected, scrambling for her small wallet she had in her jean jacket.

"Don't worry about it. First ones on me," She winked. "Here let's find a place to sit."

Belle followed behind Ruby through the sea of dancing people. The two finally made their way to a rounded booth in the corner of the bar. Once they sat down Belle took the first sip of her drink. She closed her eyes tightly as the sour hint of alcohol touched her tongue. She swallowed hard.

Ruby chuckled, noticing.

"It's been a while since I've drank," Belle said, blushing.

"Yeah, I don't come here too often. Most of my friends have boyfriends." She rolled her eyes. "It's just much more fun going out with someone who is single." She laughed, sipping on her drink.

Belle smiled and quickly took a long sip of her drink, her face withering as the alcohol touched her tongue again. It had been a while since Belle had went out with her friends; it was more like years. That was why she had to get away. No one was supposed to be cooped up like that. A person was supposed to be free to do whatever they wanted, even if they were in a relationship. What Belle had done was for her own good. _Right?_ She constantly second guessed herself. She often thought about going back to her old life. Belle wasn't sure how accustomed she would become to this new life. It really wasn't something she was used too. Having a job, going out with friends on a Saturday night. . . Belle shook her head. This was not the time or the place to be thinking about things like that. Right now she was out with a friend.

The two chatted for a while and ordered another round of margaritas. If there was one thing Belle already knew about Ruby it was that she was a talker. Add alcohol and it was a whole other story. Which Belle didn't mind. She was a good listener. In just a short amount of time she learned a lot about Ruby. She learned that Ruby's father had died when she was a little girl and her mother, guilt ridden from her husband's death, fled; leaving Granny to take care of her. Over the years Ruby had tried to find her mother, hiring private investigators and whatnot, but it was no use. The leads she had always ended down a dead end.

Another quirk that made Ruby unique was that she had an affinity for wolves. She loved them. She loved how strong willed they were and how protective they were over their pack. Ruby collected just about anything that had a wolf on it. She also told Belle about how she sometimes sits outside at night listening to them howl. Belle just loved sipping on her drink listening to Ruby ramble on and on about her life. It was a nice distraction not to have to talk about herself and her past.

As the alcohol begin to settle in the two girls they went from talking to dancing. The dance floor was small but crowded. The two danced next to each other laughing and enjoying each other's company. As Belle continued dancing to the beat of the music strange hands wrapped around her waist. Her eyes widened in fear and she turned around quickly, backing up.

"Oh hey there sweetie, I'm sorry If I scared ya," the guy said with a sly smile. He stared Belle up and down, licking his lips. "My, my you are a beautiful piece of woman if I do say so myself." He was staring at her like she was a slice of meat.

Belle backed away and looked over to get Ruby's attention but her attention was already drawn elsewhere. She was in deep conversation with a dark-skinned guy, her bright smile spread all across her face as the two danced closely together. Not wanting to interrupt Belle began making her way off the dance floor.

"Hey baby where are you going?" Hands gripped her by the waist again and the man pulled her close to him.

"Let go of me!" Belle yelled as she jerked her body free. She quickly escaped the seat of sweaty bodies and made her way back to an empty seat at the bar. Her pulse began pounding and her hands started to shake with anxiety. She needed to calm down. This guy wasn't out to hurt her. He just wanted to dance and maybe just had a little too much to drink. As that thought crossed her mind her eyes closed shut. It drug her down to a place she didn't want to be. The guy's actions were reminding her of her previous life. The one she had fled from.

"What'll it be little lady," the chubby cheeked bartender asked; breaking Belle from her inner thoughts. She blinked and stared up at the smiling man across the bar. Belle tried to conjure up a smile and ordered a shot of the strongest liquor he had in stock. She needed something to numb the fear that was boiling in the pit of her stomach, even if it would only be for a little bit.

"Here you go," he said pouring some brown liquid into a tall shot glass.

"Thank you." Belle knocked back the shot, the thick liquid sliding smoothly down her throat. She slammed the small glass down and ordered another. After her second shot the liquor began to work its magic. The fear had begun to subside.

"Why don't you give the lady another one of those, on me." It was the guy from the dance floor. He smiled over towards Belle. Couldn't this guy take a hint?

"No thank you," Belle said as politely as she could, sliding off of the bar stool. Before her left foot touched the ground the guy reached for her wrist and pulled her quickly towards him yet again.

"Well then dance with me." The guy was smiling at her but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

The longer Belle hesitated to answer him the tighter his grip became around her wrist; it was starting to throb with pain.

"Leave me alone!" Once again she jerked herself free from this man. The boiling fear resurfaced in the pit of her stomach; the way he looked at her made her repressed memories rise to the surface of her mind. She had to get out. She had to get away. This man was reminding her way too much of her past and she wasn't liking it one bit.

Belle practically sprinted towards the exit of The Rabbit Hole and out the front doors. Once outside she collided with someone and fell down on her hands and knees.

"I'm sorry," she said not wanting to look up. Staring down at the back of her hands tears began to escape her blue eyes. The memories flooded back into her mind and she couldn't stop them. All of the pain, ridicule, and agony she had endured rolled over every inch of her body. She felt like she was about to collapse on the sidewalk. Her body began shaking.

"Go away," Belle yelled, through clenched teeth as tears stained her cheeks. The person she had ran into hadn't moved since she hit the ground. Probably laughing at her; making fun of the new girl in town crying her eyes out of the sidewalk. "I said GO AWAY!" Belle yelled at the person, her voice traveling down the street.

"Why don't you get up? Being down there is not a good look for you, dearie?" Belle's eyes snapped open as she instantly recognized the voice.

_Mr. Gold?_

* * *

**Sorry for the delay!  
Hope you enjoyed.  
Please review with your thoughts!**

**Thanks so much!  
-Nicole**


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